Box or can



(No Model.)

A. CAMERON, Jr.

' BOX 0R CAN.

No. 602,654. Patented Apr. '19 1898.

INVENTOR UNITE ALEXANDER oAnERoN, JR, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

Box OR CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,654, dated April19, 1898.

Application filed June 26, 1 897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CAMERON, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes orCans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a box or can which is designed to behermetically sealed by a thin top, sometimes called a tagger top, andalso provided with an outer cover having a cutter or cutters provided onthe same for cutting out the tagger top; and myinvention consists inproviding such a box and its outer cover with a socket and a stud,respectively, at proper points, whereby when the outer cover is appliedon the box the cutter or cutters carried by the cover can be prevented,during transportation, from coming in contact with the tagger top on thebody of the box, but when it is desired to cut out the tagger top thecover can be forced down and the knife caused to penetrate the taggertop, and by then revolving the outer cover the tagger top will be cutout.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through thebox and cover, showing the socket engaged in the stud and the knife orblade away from the permanent thin tin top. Fig. 2 is a similar section,but showing the removable cover forced down in contact with thepermanent thin top and the knife or blade penetrating the thin tin top.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body of the can, showing thesockets. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the outer cover, showing theknives or blades and the spring-stud; and Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the outer cover, showing a modified form of cutter.

Ain the drawings represents the body of the can, which is preferablycylindrical in shape and is provided on its outer surface near its upperedge with diametrically-arranged depressions or sockets to a. The bodyof the box is also provided with a permanent thin top a The outer coverB is formed with a flange b, which is of greater depth than usual. Thesaid flange is slit at points diametrically opposite each other to formspring-tongues Serial No. 642,443. (No model.)

Z), which latter are provided with inwardlyextending projections orstuds 6 These projections are arranged a proper distance from the loweredge of the flange, so that when the said outer cover is placed upon thebody of the box or can and forced down, so that the projections or studsb b will spring into and engage the sockets a a on the body of the can,the under side of the cover will be out of contact and considerablyabove the thin metal.

top o The flange of the outer cover is also provided with one or moreknives or cutters C O, which are shown stamped from the metalconstituting the flange of the outer cover and bent inwardly anddownwardly. If desired, the cutter or cutters may be separate from thematerial of the outer cover and riveted or otherwise secured to thesame. The cutter or cutters may be formed with a shoulder c, as shown inFig. 4, or with shoulders c c, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to engage theunder side of the thin permanent top when the cutters are forced throughsaid top and prevent them becoming accidentally disengaged therefromduring the cutting operation. When the outer removable cover has beenplaced upon the can and the stud thereon brought into engagement withthe socket on the body of the can for preventing the further descent ofthe removable cover and the cutter or cutters from accidentallypenetrating the thin top during transportation, and it is desired toforce the cutter or cutters through the thin tin to move the same, itcan be readily done by giving the removable cover a blow with the handor any tool or instrument, and by turning the movable cover the thin tinwill be cut out and the cutter or cutters will be kept down to theirwork by the shoulder or shoulders formed thereon coming in directcontact with the under side of the thin permanent top.

From the aforegoing description it will be seen that I have produced abox or can suitable for shipping any substance which it is desired tokeep hermetically sealed, and provided with means formed on the outercover for removing the thin permanent top, which means are prevented ina very simple but practical way from coming in contact with andpuncturing the thin permanent top during transportation, I have shownand described the sockets as being on the body of the can and the studsas being on the outer cover, but it is obvious that the studs might be011 the body of the can and the sockets on the cover Without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. It is also obvious that instead ofproviding a plurality of sockets there may be a continuous socket orgroove.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box or can comprising a body portion proper and an outer cover, thebody portion proper being provided with a permanent thin top and theouter cover being provided with spring-tongues, and one of the partsconstituting the box or can being provided with a stud-engaging memberand another part of the can with a receiving-recess member, one set ofthe engaging members being formed on the spring-tongues on the cover atsuitable points,'and the other set of engaging members being provided onthe body proper of the can, the cover also being provided on its insidewith a cutter or cutters, substantially as described.

2. A box or can provided on its outer surface near its upper edge withsockets having a permanent thin top and a removable cover having aflange of greater depth than usual provided with spring-studs, and acutter or cutters on the under side of the cover, said cutter or cuttersbeing provided with a shoulder or shoulders, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ALEXANDER CAMERON, JR. Witnesses:

HENRY F. W. SOUTHERN, \VILLIAM CAMERON, Jr.

